Turning Pages
by Maria Penner
Summary: This is the story of Page Daniels. What would happen is Queen Mab had a daughter. This is a tale of romance and adventure. This is my first fanfic so please read and review and also let me know how i can improve.
1. Chapter 1

**Turning Pages**

**Authors Note: Hello fellow writers. So, this is my first fanfic and I'm super excited to see where it goes. I have never written fanfiction before so bear with me. This story is about what would happen if Queen Mab from the Iron Fey series had a daughter who like Megan was a half-breed. This story is before Megan but everything else is pretty much the same. I have a few OC's and I hope you enjoy them. The Winter Princes maybe a little OOC but cut me some slack this is my first story. Anyway on with the disclaimer… **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Iron Fey Series or any of the characters, scenes, or plot of the story. The only part of the story I own are my original characters. **

I never said a word. I simply sat there and watched them all. The Fey are full of such beauty but also such evil, especially Winter Fey. That is where my story begins. It all began with a Fey and a human. Fey aren't supposed to be noticed by humans unless they want to be. Unfortunately for me one Fey in particular decided she would make herself known. Some days I wish she had kept to herself but you can't stop a Fey when something amuses or interest them. So he intrigued her and she met him and they were together very briefly. Then I was born. But of course no one could have someone like me in a place like Tir Na Nog so I have lived in the real world for most of my life. I still refuse to believe that any of this Fey stuff is real it all feels too dream like. Every day I wish it were a dream. I wish that I could wake up and I'd be home with my real family where it feels like reality but none of that was ever meant for me.

I first knew I was different when I saw a man walk into a pond near where I used to live. I remember his family; they were normal and seemingly happy. I was drawing in my notebook when it happened. I was sitting in the park when as if he were in a trance he walked straight into the water. I heard his daughter cry in despair and people came and led her to her mother. I soon forgot about the incident until other things started happening. I saw strange creatures and no one else could see them but me. My family, or so I thought they were, couldn't even remember me. All these things happened so fast. The memories are still swirling around in my mind like a rapid slideshow. I forget sometimes. Sometimes I daydream and I get really quiet and I forget where I am and what has happened to me but then she comes and reminds me of everything. That is what Fey are like because you try your very best to forget them and pretend that they don't exist but then they come back to you and you realize that they aren't even trying to hide from you. You simply choose to not see them.

These are just the things I began to think about as I watched the Fey dance and laugh and be the reckless creatures they are. I often think of how things would have turned out if Mab had never interfered in my life: if she had never tampered with my destiny. I suppose I wouldn't even know what my destiny was if she hadn't come. But still I continue to dream of what normal would be like. Oh normal is such a beautiful dream. It is such a wonderfully dangerous and totally out my reach dream. For the truth is I have never been normal and never will. The truth is I'm a Fey and I'm human. Yes normal was never my destiny.

My name is Page Daniels and this is my story.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: So this is chapter two of Turning Pages and I would just like to say thank you for reading the first chapter. Also if you have any ideas for the story just message me or leave them in your review I will give you credit for your ideas. Oh, and message me if you have any question about the story as well. Also excuse any grammatical errors I promise I will edit this story later. So on with the story….**

I sat there and gave a bored sigh. I hate that I have to attend these parties all the time. They are never very interesting. I will admit there are parts of me that are very Fey like and one of them is my love of excitement and danger. Just as I think of such things my brother Ash starts walking toward me. Ash much like our other two brothers is tall with dark black hair, Ash decided with a little help from me to wear a silver suit because I thought it would highlight his eyes which were a similar color. As always Ash carries his special magic sword with him as well as a straight and forever cold expression but that goes away when he sees me. He smiles and sits down beside me. "Are you having fun Princess?" he asks. I smile back at him and shake my head. "I'm not much of a party Princess," I say. I see how this whole event was supposed to be fun but I just can't get into it. I'm sitting here in this huge dress that I'm not very into while watching a bunch of people who I hate have fun._ Yep, this is definitely the party of my life_, I think sarcastically. "I know you aren't really into these kind of things am neither am I but I think that you should mingle some. It's good to have allies in this Court. Especially since you don't know how to use Glamour, Page," he says.

"I have you Ash and I know how to use a sword and many other weapons. Besides _you_ know how to use Glamour and together we are unstoppable. Why would I need another ally?" He smiles as I praise him but then it fades and he realizes my trick.

"Flattery, Page gets you everywhere with Fey," he says.

"Oh I know. I'm just surprised it even works on you oh Ice Prince" I say ruffling his hair.

"Whatever I still think you should network a little. Would you like to make a deal with me Princess?" he asks.

I think for a moment and because I'd hate to resist a challenge especially one offered by my brother I nod and ask, "What kind of deal Prince?"

He grins a devilish grin and says, "If you dance with someone here and or make an ally with one or more Fey here I will teach you how to use your Glamour" he challenges.

"And if I don't dance or make an ally, what then?" I say, with Fey you must cover all of your bases.

Ash thought for a moment and said, "Let's just say you will owe me a favor"

I hate it when Fey do that because you will never know what they want until they ask for it. I sigh and I think for a moment. It's a very tempting offer nonetheless. I trust Ash, which is probably a bad idea even if he is my brother, but I will take him up on his offer. "Deal" I say and we shake hands to seal it.

"Now Princess go on and mingle you don't have much time before the party is over" he says as he walks away to join the party. I watch him for a while as he lingers around one girl in particular with silver hair and the most beautiful of eyes. I don't believe it will go anywhere though not with Ash anyway so I lose interest quickly. I stand and give a sigh as I survey the crowd. I honestly don't know who I will find in a crowd like this so I just decide to wander for a moment and maybe they will come to me. I take a moment to really take in the air of the party. It's beautiful with sparkling ice everywhere and the Winter Fey who's hearts are just as cold and even more beautiful and I am one of them. I possess no unearthly beauty like the rest of the Fey I am chubby where other Fey are slender but I do have long black hair and a sharp wit like most Fey and my skin is as brown as my fathers was. I definitely don't look like a Winter Fey. I think back to earlier when I was getting dressed and I wouldn't have thought about a pink dress for such an occasion but I liked it once I put it on and I braided my hair so it stretched around my head like a headband. I do love the dress with all its flowers and embellishments. It was one of the many fluffy and totally princess like dresses that I have been wearing since I came to this court. I wander around the party for quite some time. I begin to get worried as I realize that I am going to lose my bet with Ash. I never knew how to be sociable even when I was in the human world. I was very shy there and alone. I am not much far from that situation here in the NeverNever but at least I have Ash now. I'm trying to figure out a strategy to talk to someone when suddenly I get a tap on my shoulder. I immediately think its Ash telling me that I should hurry up but when I turn around it is not my brother but a stranger. Well not a complete stranger I have seen this boy before at many of the other parties that Mab holds and he is very sociable and has a great smile. He is tall with the dark black hair that most Winter Fey have which he lets fall into his eyes and pale skin as well. He is wearing a light blue suit which makes his dark eyes look so much more intense. Of course he is classically handsome but it's the bright look in his eyes and that smile that makes him look so normal even though I'm positive that because he is at this party he must be some high ranking Fey. I immediately I use my observations of him to see if he could make a good ally and then I realize I don't have enough information_. I could just dance with him and then I get my lessons easy_, I think. But to get him to dance with me I will have to be a bit more charming so I flash him a bright smile and say "Hi." He smiles back at me but his smile isn't bright or flashy nor is it small and shy but it's just right. It's sweet and simple and if he was human I would say his smile was warm. "Hello Princess, my name is Vincent Elmire would you care to dance with me," he says ever so boldly. I smile and say "Yes I would love to dance with you." He bows to me and I curtsey to him.

Then we begin to dance. The music is soft and slow at first and then it speeds up and so does our dancing as Vincent begins to spin me faster and at one point lifts me into the air. I tried my best not to enjoy myself but by the time the dance was over we were laughing together and my head was spinning but it felt good. I couldn't remember the last time I laughed since I came to the Winter Court. Vincent and I danced together for the rest of the party. We did at some point have other dance partners but in the end we found our way back to one another. Near the end of the ball he and I were dancing our last dance together and I found myself not wanting the night to end. "Princess it has been wonderful spending time with you tonight," he says smiling. "And I have had a great time with you Vincent," I say smiling back at him but this time my smile is genuine.

"Princess I would greatly love to see you again. Do you want to hang out tomorrow?" He says shyly.

"Yes that would be great. There is a library here that I love to go sit and read in meet me there ok," I say. I didn't think about what I was doing I just said it. The normal me would have said no and walked away. After all I only needed him to win a bet and that's it. Why am I bothering myself with him further? I could always just not show up since I can't take back my words. But I am interested in him. He is very peculiar for a Winter Fey. "Fantastic Princess, I will meet you there tomorrow," he says. I see his warm smile and think that maybe I will meet him. In the end, I put all those thoughts away and decide that I will cross that bridge when I get there. Soon the song ends and we stop dancing as he turns me around one more time. "Well I believe this is it for tonight for 'Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow." He says with a wink.

"Shakespeare, that's impressive sort of," I say smiling mischievously.

"Sort of impressive? Most humans don't even bother with such literature," he says mocking being offended.

"Well I am not most humans. Fortunately for you, I'm part Fey," I say winking at him.

"No wonder you're so interesting," he says grinning once more.

"Well Princess I shall be off now. I will see you tomorrow." With those final words he kisses my hand and walks away. "Goodnight Vincent" I whisper. I find myself smiling all the way to my room. When I get there I think over the events of the night. I won a bet, had a wonderful time dancing, and possibly made an ally and good friend. I change out of my dress and put on some pajamas. As I begin to fall asleep I think that for once in my entire stay here I might actually have sweet dreams.

**A/N: So this is where the romance kicks in. But the question I know you must be asking is: Where is Queen Mab? Well I can tell you that she is on her way. I might have her in the next chapter if not then that chapter after that. I'm sorry I'm not giving you anything specific but my writing tends to be a little unpredictable. Again, like I said in my first authors note if you have any ideas, questions or suggestions please review or message me. Thank you for reading from Maria and Page. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 3 of Turning Pages. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and has a wonderful New Year. Thank you for reading my story. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please review or message me. Reviews and messages would make me so happy! Also let me know which characters you would like to see in the story I would totally be open to writing them in. **

I wake up the next morning with a decision to make. I wipe the sleep from my eyes and wonder if I should go and meet him or if I should just stay in my bed and sleep. It wouldn't hurt to go and just chill with him for a while. I need an ally after all. But then again I have gotten what I want out of him. We danced and now I get to learn Glamour. I have Ash and with my Glamour I would unstoppable. Why do I need Vincent? He is just some Winter Fey with a very warm smile and a pretty face. Wait, what? No, I didn't just think that. His smile isn't warm and he isn't cute. He was probably just using me like I was using him. But there is no reason I couldn't use him a little longer. This time I'm using him because he amuses me and that's all. I just want to be entertained because I have nothing better to do for today. That is what I tell myself as I begin to get dressed. Much like when I was in the human world I agonize over what I am going to wear. Then I begin to wonder why I am even bothering myself with such a tedious thought. I just pick a dress from my closet and try it on. But as I stand before the mirror I think of two or three other dresses that may look even better. So I spend the next five to ten minutes trying to decide which one I look best in. By the time I'm finished I decide upon a green dress much more simple than the one I wore to the party yesterday but still very grand. It is sleeveless and has sparkles running along the bust of the dress all the way to the waistline where it stops and the dress flows out and touches the ground. I turn myself in it and think that I have made the right choice. I decide to wear my hair down and put on a simple green headband. I look at myself in the mirror one last time. I take a deep breath and smile at my reflection. _And here I was telling myself that I wasn't going to try. I swear this boy has me losing my mind_, I think to myself. I walk away from my reflection and start towards the library. When I get there I notice that he hasn't arrived yet and I give a sigh of relief.

I always find peace in a library. I love books and reading stories always allows me to escape for a while. Being in the Winter Court was hard at first; I was ripped from my family and thrown into the cruel and cold world filled with all kinds of strange creatures and magic. Coming to this place and being surrounded by at least something familiar helps me deal with it all. I don't know what I would do without these books. I wonder why I told Vincent to meet me here. This place is my sanctuary; it's the only place where I feel safe. No one else visits here except Ash and that is very rare. This place practically belongs to me. Why would I invite him to my one safe place? I ponder this question further as someone opens the door. I turn my head quickly to see Ash walk in.

"Hey Page," He says coolly. He walks in further and plops himself on a nearby chair. "So I see that you have won our little bet," he says smiling.

"Yes it would seem so," I say. I have won something for the first time since my arrival and it feels great.

"So you danced with him last night which sealed your win right then and there. But the question I want to know is why you are continuing to bother yourself with him?" he says suspiciously.

"He amuses me," is all I say. What I say is true but Ash can tell that I'm not telling him the whole truth. He trusts me so I know he won't press me further; at least not now anyway.

"Just be careful Page, Fey can be misleading," he says as he gets up to leave.

"I will," I say as I hear the door close.

I take a deep breath and think about leaving once more and I even stand up to do so but then I turn right back around and pick up a book. I sit down with it and begin to fall deep into the story. Reading always helps me clear my head. Whenever my world is shaking I can always find stability again with a simple turn of a page. I am brought out the world of the book when the door opens again. It's Vincent wearing that same warm smile he had the night of the ball. I know it's contagious because I smile as well.

"Hey," I say as I set the book down on a nearby table.

"Hello Princess," he says walking over to me and picking up the book a just set down.

"You don't have to be so formal Vincent. You can just call me Page," I say.

He just nods and turns the pages of the book delicately. "I think I've read this one. It's very good Prin…Page. I think you will like it," he says. I like the way he says my name. It sounds better when he says it. It sounds like music.

"I was just reading while I waited for you. I did like it so far," I say trying to fill the silence that had settled over the room.

"Page, do you come here often?" he asked.

"Yes I do. I find a little bit of peace here," I say.

"Page, would you like to go where I find peace?" he says with a bit of a sparkle in his eyes. I think for a moment. _I shouldn't trust him_, I think. But it's those sparkling grey eyes of his and his smile that warms the cold world be both are forced to stay in.

"Yeah, I would love to see it," I say letting him bewitch me again.

"Well shall we be off," he says as he offers me his arm and smiles even wider. I take his arm and we begin to walk down many hallways until we are outside of the castle.

When I first arrived I got the impression that the outside of the castle is actually _warmer_ than the inside. I always thought Mab's iciness made her home the coldest place in the whole NeverNever. I take a deep breath and for the first time in a long time I am able to breathe in the air of the outside world or at least outside the castle. I don't even feel the cold. I've been in the Winter Court for what feels like months but it is probably years in human time. Being outside makes me think of home. It makes me think of when going outside meant warmth and more importantly freedom. I could go anywhere and do anything. But now I'm chained to this court. We walk a little further and I don't recognize where he is taking me. I start to get worried and he feels it and reassures me as he says, "It's alright, I had to hide this place really well so your mother wouldn't find out."

"She isn't my mother despite what she might tell you and what she tries to convince me to believe" I say with a bit of bitterness.

"I can understand how difficult it is to get along with a relative. You should try living with my father," he says with a lost look in his eye. I know that look. I've possessed it many times.

I smile and squeezed his hand a little tighter and said, "I guess that's another thing we share in common." He smiled back at me and squeezed my hand as well. We continue walking. Soon we are met with a forest full of the tallest and barest trees. The deeper we go into the forest gets darker it gets. I notice that he hold on to my hand a little tighter. Soon we are met with a dead end and he lets go of my hand. He steps closer to the wall that stops us and he whispers words that I can't quite hear. "Okay Princess here we are. Are you ready to see my secret hiding place?" he says with a mischievous look in his eye. I laugh and nod vigorously. He takes my hand and leads me through that wall and suddenly we are in the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life. I know there is no sunlight in the Winter Court but this place was so bright it was almost like the sun. Vincent's place of peace is a garden. I wouldn't expect that of him but I'm glad this is where he took me. I don't quite understand how something so full of life can flourish in a place so dead. But it exists and I take a deep breath and suck in everything that it is. It made me happy for some reason; almost giddy. I start laughing hysterically.

Vincent gives me a weird look and asks, "Are you okay Princess?"

I keep laughing but still manage to still say, "Yeah I'm fine but something about this place it makes me so happy. I can't contain it. Don't you feel it Vincent." I let go of his hand and run into a maze where the walls are covered with flowers. I laugh the whole way through it. I lose my breath pretty quickly. I was never much of a runner. I had too much fluff. But I'm still happy. Even my breathlessness makes me want to do nothing more than giggle. I lean against a tree which has blooming flowers on it and as the wind rushes in the petals float away into the air. I continue to giggle as my heart is filled with so much joy. I see Vincent running up me out of breath as well. "Princess, are you okay? You ran away so fast. Much faster than I thought you could run if I must say," Vincent says trying to catch his breath. I continue giggling and say "I'm just fine. Why do you look so sad Vince? You should come and laugh with me." I say smiling so hard my face hurts which only amuses me further. He bends down next to me and shakes his head but he smiles a little at me.

"See that's better. You know you have a great smile Vincent," I say. I don't even care what I say anymore. I just don't want this feeling to fade.

"Princess look at me. You have to calm down. This a side effect of coming here. Some Fey can't handle it. It makes you feel all happy and then you suffocate from lack of oxygen. You have to stop laughing now Princess," He says with a very straight expression. I look into his eyes and they no longer hold the same warmth they once did. That's the Winter Fey I knew he was. Everything about his has gone cold. But it's not enough; I still feel the warmth inside me. "Someone has gotten so serious," I say.

He gives a sigh and stands up. "Well I guess I can't keep you here any longer," he says. He tries to take my hand but I slap it away.

"No! I don't want to go!" I whine like I'm two-years-old again and I'm on the verge of throwing a tantrum.

"Come on Page. It's not safe for you here anymore. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. Besides your family would kill me," he says worry seeping into his voice.

"Oh my gosh they would wouldn't they. Ha! They would kill you!" I say. Just as I got my last word out I couldn't breathe anymore. I tried to keep laughing but I couldn't get enough air. I fell over frantically gasping for air. I could feel it leaving my lungs. I saw a look of panic cross Vincent's face as he tried to figure out what to do. So he leaned down next to me and before I knew it his lips were against mine and his arms wrapped protectively around me. He was breathing air into me and yet he also took my breath away. It shocked me so much I stopped laughing. I began to kiss him back. It was sweet and it made me smile but not in the way the garden. This was much truer. This was real. Soon he pulled away and we stared at each other for a while.

"Princess, you must understand I could not think of any other way to help you and I figured if I..." He began to say.

I interrupt and say "I know why you did it Vincent. I would have done the same for you if we had switched roles" He stares at me intently as if he is searching for something more than what I'm saying. I try my best to hide anything I don't want to be seen behind my eyes. I try to be expressionless but the memory of having him so close keeps running through my mind.

"Right then, um I knew that the garden affected some people that way but I thought you would be fine. I suppose you have had more sadness in your life than I thought," he said.

"What does my sadness have to do with anything?" I say confused.

"Well, if you are a Fey who has a certain amount of pain in life the garden empathizes with you and it wants to make you happy but if you have a lot of grief and pain it tends to go overboard sometimes and it just puts you out of your misery. I think gardens like this may have developed that phrase. That's why I picked this place because when I found it I was hoping that it would…." He stops there. The look in his eye tells me that I shouldn't press him any further. The expression he holds now I know also. It's the look of being lost. I know what it is to be lost and feeling so forgotten and unwanted. Yet with all that pain he still can put warmth in that dazzling smile of his. I know I'm not supposed to feel anything for him but I am part human so I'm weak and I can't help it. I reach up and give him a hug.

"Hey, as of now we are best friends okay. Also you saved my life and, I will probably regret this later, but I believe that I owe you a favor. So, what do you want?" I see him smile and his eyes light up as he thinks of all the possibilities.

"I have an idea but I won't ask right now. I will save it. I need to have perfect timing for what I want, new best friend," he says with so much joy in his voice.

I smile and say, "Fine then, whatever you wish." We stare at each other for a moment and I think that we would make such wonderful friends. _That is if that's all he wants to be_, says some inner part of me that really enjoyed that kiss. But anything else would be ridiculous right? Or at least that is what I tell myself so that I don't think about it too hard.

"Well I think we should go. I'm sorry that my hiding place almost killed you," he says.

I laugh and say, "Its fine. You saved me right."

"Either way we should go before you start laughing again. Now it is my goal in this life to make you happy because then we come here all the time without you almost dying," he says smiling brightly at me.

"How are you going to make me happy Vincent," I say teasing.

"Oh I think I already have Princess," Vincent says squeezing my hand a little. I'm glad he can't see my blush. We walk back to the castle holding hands. The whole way I try to convince myself that friends hold hands and that it doesn't mean anything but my heartbeat tells me otherwise. We walk back the rest of the way hand in hand. We talk about trivial things but I enjoy it nonetheless. It has been a while since I actually had someone to talk to besides my brother and it was a refreshing change. By talking to him I find that he is very funny, and intelligent as well as witty. _Crap, he's perfect_, I think to myself. And those eyes of his capture me every time. I shouldn't hang out with him anymore. Being with him would only make my life more difficult. Nothing good would come from it. But I went out with him today so that shows that my common sense doesn't apply with him. So no matter how many times I tell myself I won't like him anymore or how many times I say we won't hang out I think I will always keep doing it. I suppose there is nothing more to do than to just enjoy his company while it's here.

We reach my room inside the castle and I say, "This was so much fun Vincent."

"Yeah it was, we should hang out again," he says eagerly.

"Yes we should. What about tomorrow afternoon. You can work on that new mission of yours," I say laughing. Wait what? Damn it, I let me mouth run away with me. But I can't take it back now that I've said it. I hate the way he makes me feel.

"I will succeed Princess I have plans and they are sure to make you the happiest Fey in the whole wide world," he says with a bright twinkle in his eye. His eyes and I have such a love/hate relationship. Sometimes I hate them because they make me feel, do and say all kinds of crazy things. On the other hand there are times like now when I love them. I don't know why exactly but his eyes they fill me with such warmth which is something I haven't had in a long time. I think I was staring too long because he says "Princess are you alright?"

I shake my head and say "Yeah I'm alright. I just think you have really pretty eyes," I say.

"Thanks Princess," he says shyly.

"Vincent you must learn to call me Page. Everyone calls me Page." I say.

"Fine." is all he says before his lips are once again on mine. This time we can't hide behind the excuse that it was just to save me. This time it's real. He holds me close and I run my fingers through his hair. I start to pull away but he brings me back. When we do pull away he looks me in the eyes for no more than two second before he says, "I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight Page." He kisses my cheek and walks away. I take a moment to process what just happened and then a giant smile comes to my face. I walk into my room ant lay on my bed to think for a few moments. I like him but he and I can't work. I'd hate for what happened to my family to happen to him. I have to push him away like everyone else. I scream into my pillow in frustration. Why did he have to have those eyes and that smile? Why couldn't he let me hate him like every other Fey? I had planned on spending my time in the Winter Court in isolation. I thought I would just go about life one day after the next. It would be like never ending story. I would turn a page and it would be the same as the next. But he gave me something different. I could hate him for how he makes me feel but I kind of like it also. I give a sigh and let the sweet dream about tonight come and for once I go to sleep that night with a smile on my face.

In the morning, I wake up and remember the two things that are to happen today. The first is my Glamour lesson with Ash and the second is that I get to see Vincent again. I get up and dress myself for the lesson. I decide upon a plain blue T-shirt and jeans with a pair of sneakers and hoodie. I braid my hair in a simple French braid. I lace up my sneakers and go to find Ash. But on the outside of my door there is a note that says _meet me in forest_. It's pretty vague but I think I know where he means. I walk outside the castle and once again breathe in the cool winter air. I hate that I have to stay in the Winter Court but I can't deny the power I feel when I'm here. The cold air feels good in my lungs and I feel like I can do anything. Every inch of me feels the energy in the air. I can't hold it in so I begin to run. I usually don't bother to run because I hate the feeling of breathlessness it gives me but I can't help it now. I even laugh while I run. When I stop I see Ash standing in the middle of a clearing with his sword by his side as it always is. I stop slightly out of breath but still I feel so strong.

"So glad you finally decided to join me Princess," he says taking a seat in the snow.

"How long have you been waiting here," I say taking a seat in from of him.

"A while, I knew I got up kind of early. I knew you would take a minute," he says.

"You act like you cared oh Ice Prince. You don't mind being alone for a few minutes," I say teasing.

"You would be correct Princess but that is why I have you," he says. Ash never admits anything to anyone. If you want to know how he feels you have to wait for glimpses and hints of it. This was one of those moments. I smile because there are very few like it. "Well enough of this let's get started shall we," he says and he draws a flower from his pocket. It's a red rose. It has been such a long time since I have seen a flower and one in bloom like the one before me. I try to reach for it but he pulls it away from my grasp.

"I just want to hold it. I haven't seen a rose in the longest time. I just want to remember what they feel like," I say desperately. He laughs and offers the rose to me.

"Well you'll need to hold it anyway for this lesson," he says. I practically snatch the rose from him and hold it delicately in my hands. I smell it and its scent is sweet. It makes me miss summers at home. We used to have such beautiful flowers grow there.

"What do I have to do?" I ask curiously.

"You have to freeze the flower." I look up at him in shock.

"How can I freeze something like this? These don't grow here. Nothing grows here and you want me to kill something beautiful like this precious rose," I exclaim.

"It's just a flower there are many where that one came from. I have a friend in the Summer Court who supplied me with the rose. I can have him get you another if you can freeze this flower Princess," he says with a familiar look in his eye. It's another challenge. I gladly accept. I'd hate to freeze this poor flower but if there are more then I don't feel so bad about destroying one.

I nod and say, "How do I do it."

He smiles and says, "All you have to do is think cold. I think you might have felt it on the way here since you ran. Just breathe for starters and take in the Glamour from around you. You are a Winter Fey in the Winter Court so this is where you are strongest. So think cold thoughts." I take his advice and try to bring back the feeling I had before. I feel the cold. I take one more breath in and I breathe the frost onto the rose. But I don't feel the Glamour escape that way. I open my eyes and I see that the rose is untouched but the surrounding trees and Ash are covered in more snow than they were before.

"Well," he says brushing the snow off of him "you did freeze something. But because you didn't freeze the rose I suppose I have to take it back to my friend and you will have to try again tomorrow."

"Wait that was it?" I say stunned.

"Yeah pretty much for today. Page I can't teach you anything until you can handle the basic stuff. So when you learn how to freeze you can learn something else. We can spar if you want. Did you bring your sword?" I shake my head no.

He gives a sigh and says "Well bring it next time so then at least we can have some fun the next time you fail"

"And what makes you think I will fail?" I ask offended.

"Page, you are a little late in the game. I learned to do that trick many years ago probably before you were even thought of and you are just learning it now so most likely you will fail." I stomp my foot in the snow and turn to storm back to the castle but he stops me in my tracks when he says "But I think you have potential. You just have to focus you Glamour a little more. I mean you almost froze me and the clearing." I smile and he just rolls his eyes at me.

"Fine but I will succeed at this. Tomorrow will be the day." I say running back to the castle.

I burst through the doors and jog to my room. I take a deep breath and go to my closet to once again agonize over what to wear. I pluck a purple dress from my closet and go to take a bath. When I come out I comb through my mess of hair and try my best to curl it. I once had other Fey to do this for me but I made it known I liked my privacy when I first arrived. I remember having an older sister who would always tell me how I never took care of myself. I wish I had listened to her now that I actually need those lessons. When I'm done I don't look that bad. I find myself being actually proud of myself. I get into my dress and stand before the full length mirror in the corner of my room. The dress has no bling like the green dress I wore the day before. The make got very creative with the skirt to make it look like it was falling water and the top is very simple but has a more silky material than the bottom. I turn and smile to myself. _I look good_, I think. I shouldn't care but I find myself doing so anyway. I can't let myself get swept away like I did yesterday. I just have to remain friendly and nothing more. I can be friends with him can't I? I just can't look into his eyes or fall for his smile or laugh at his witty jokes or kiss him or..._Snap out of it Page!_, I tell myself. I take a deep breath and clear my mind. _No more thoughts about him Page. Just be friends because that way he can be safe and happy_, I think. I just have to keep him safe. I walk away from the mirror and step outside. I would go to the garden but I don't know the words so I take a trip to the library instead. The whole way I begin daydreaming about who I am to meet there. It makes me smile. But in my daydreaming I don't watch myself and I bump into my other older brother Rowan. Now if there is anyone besides Mab that I fiercely dislike its Rowan. He is tall like my other two brothers with black hair and blue eyes and is heart like everything else in this Court is made of ice. I couldn't believe that he has ever felt anything since the moment he was born. When I first came here he had nothing to say but cruel words. I think if he had the chance he would get rid of me but Mab wouldn't allow such things. Unfortunately for both of us Mab is fond of me and I can't leave and he can't force me out. "Hello Page, I must say you look much less like a fat pig today. May I ask where you are headed?" he says with a delighted grin on his face. I've never actually struck him but he tempts me every day. It's always about my weight with him. But I don't need him to put me down now I have places to be. "Where I'm headed, you insignificant waste of space, isn't any of your business," I say trying to burn my hatred into his eyes. He grins again at me. His smiles are always so fake. "Fine Princess don't tell me but just so you know I know everything that happens in this castle and I will know what you're up to as well," he says. I roll my eyes and continue walking towards the library.

When I walk into the library I see Vincent standing and reading a book from the shelf. I wonder if I looked like he does now when he found me. Vincent looks calm and content. He is a rather handsome Fey. He wore silver today and it looks great on him with his dark hair. _Darn it Page keep your promises_, I think to myself. I was right. I need to keep the promises I made to myself I can't think about him that way. "Hey," I say finally ready to make myself known.

"Hey Page," he says tearing himself from his book.

"You called me Page," I say surprised.

"Well it is you name isn't it," he says teasing.

I smile and say, "Yes it is indeed." He walks over to me and looks me in the eyes for a few minutes. I feel him lean towards me and I almost fall for it but I remind myself of who he is and I back away. As I back away I feel myself beginning to trip on the edge of my dress. "Princess!" Vincent says as he tries to catch me but ends up falling down with me. Then I find myself staring up at him surrounded by what used to be a stack of books. "Sorry about that Page I made that pile of ones I had read already and I guess I didn't stack them in the wisest of places," He says with a smile. I take a moment to assess the situation. I have Vincent on top of me surrounded by a stack of books and my goal of today was to remain friendly. I'm obviously not doing such a great job. We stare at each other for a long while until I feel his nose touch mine. I panic because I can feel my plan failing.

So I quickly say, "Vincent,"

"Yeah Page." He says.

"Um...I have a book stabbing me in my back so could you just help me up," I say. He laughs nervously and stands up then offers me his hand. I take it and rub my back where the book may have been jabbing me in the back. "So what do you want to do today?" I ask.

"I thought we could hang here. Since we spent so much time in my hiding place yesterday I thought we could spend some in yours," he says.

"My place isn't nearly as secret as yours," I say. He puts a finger to his lips and says

"Shhhh Princess they could be listening" I laugh and put my finger to my lips. I bend down and begin putting the fallen books on a nearby table. After looking through enough I see a pattern. "Vincent, I see you like love stories and poetry." I say. I see him give a shy grin and say

"Yeah I mean I don't read them as much as I used to but I had a bit of an obsession with them at one point," he says. I raise an eyebrow and walk over to him.

"Oh really then what's this?" I say as I reach behind him and grab the book he was hiding. I look at the title and I find that it's a book of poetry about one thing and one thing only.

"So you have given up your obsession with love stories Vincent," I say teasing.

"Well I did at one point in life. But recently I have found a reason to pick them back up again," He says not meeting my eyes. I really hope he isn't referring to me. Part of me wants to ask and another part says no out fear that he is talking about me. _Wow I'm probably the first girl in history to not want a guy to be thinking about her_, I think. I go to the shelf opposite of him and start browsing the books there. "Who's your favorite author Vincent?" I ask letting the comment pass.

"I like Oscar Wilde. He only wrote one book but I love his poetry and his plays. I think humans have an interesting way of looking at the world." He says after a moment's pause.

"I like him too. I read his book and one of his plays. They made me laugh. I love an author known as Christopher Pike. I think he is a genius." I say.

"You know I write poetry Page," he says. I turn around and stare at him in surprise.

"You do? Can I see your work sometime?" I say smiling. On the inside my heart is crumbling. He's perfect. He just confirmed that he everything I have ever wanted in a person and I can't have him. "I would love to show you what I have so far in fact I have written something for you Page," he says holding out a black notebook. I walk over to him and take the book and flip it to the first page. One there is a poem called Devotion. "You can read it aloud Page," he says staring at the ground. I'm curious about the poem so I nod and begin to read.

"_At first glance I fell_

_No strings or cords attached_

_No hesitation or resistance_

_I knew my heart finally met its match_

_Every ounce of me is devoted to loving you_

_Beats are skipped when you come around_

_And my heart really drops when I hear your voice_

_My heart made the perfect choice_

_I now and forever will always devotedly love you."_

I stopped and stared at him when I finished the last line. He wouldn't look at me. I loved the poem. Every last bit of it was wonderful. I know good and well now that he was talking about me. I was hoping he would just see us as friends. I was so hoping he wouldn't feel that way about me but he does now and I have to turn him away. I realize that I'm silent for a moment as I contemplate how to tell him that I don't have feelings for him. It's moments like these where I'm glad I'm not full Fey because that means I am able to lie.

"I didn't know how else to tell you. I would have said it the night I kissed you but I chickened out and ran away. So I went home and I wrote this for you," he says still not able to look me in the eye. I am glad for it because if he looked at me I would have to tell him the truth.

"Do you like it Page?" he asks.

I want so badly to tell him that I love the poem and him but I can't. "I love it but I…I don't love you Vincent," I say barely choking out the words. As I say it his head shoots up and he stares me straight in the eyes for the first time since he handed me the poem. I could tell he was much more than disappointed. He looked so hurt I almost couldn't take it.

"Oh…well…I…I guess I tried right," he said trying his best to smile at me. His smile wasn't the same as it had been before and I fear that I may have broken that as well.

"Yeah I guess. Vincent I honestly just want to be friends with you. I'm sorry," I say.

"No you shouldn't be sorry. I can't make you feel something you don't. But yes I would lo…like it very much of we could be friends," he says.

"Great," I say handing him back the book.

"No you should keep it Princess. I wrote other things in there that I wanted you to see. I mean I made it for you so it's yours now," he says.

"Oh, well thanks Vincent."

"Um…Princess I just thought of something that I must attend to right now. I will talk with you later okay," he says as he starts towards the door.

"Vincent," I say just as he is about to leave. He stops and with his back still turned to me I say, "I really did love your poem. I think it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever read." I couldn't tell him everything I wanted to say but at least I could tell him that. "Thank you," is all he says as he slams the door shut beside him. I take a seat in a chair and think about what I have done. I feel a tear roll down my cheek and then another until more come to join them. I wipe away as many as I can but they keep coming. Today was too much. It ended as many days in my life used to end. Today ended with me completely broken but yet the world still turning as if nothing has happened.

**A/N: So I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now, I promise Queen Mab will be in the next chapter. I know you all have been dying to see her. *crickets* yep and there is no one out there. Well, all I can is that if you are reading I would greatly appreciate it if you would review so that I know that someone is reading this. Page and I would love to hear what you think. I'd like to give a thank you to my lovely sister who wrote the poem in this chapter. She is the best. Anyway if you are looking at this thanks for reading from Maria and Page. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Welcome to chapter 4 of Turning Pages. Thank you to the reviews that I currently have. You have no idea how excited I was when I saw that I have my first review ever! So I see that there are a lot of you reading and I totally appreciate it. Please continue to read my story and review and or message me because those things would make me very happy. Anyway thank you so much for reading my story and I hope you enjoy this new chapter. **

I think at some point when you have cried so much your eyes grow tired and they can't produce anymore tears. I kept telling myself that what I did was right but I the more I say that the less I believe it. To make believe it more I try to think of why. But even the why makes no sense. No matter what I tell myself I still can't find a good reason not to tell him the truth. I stand up and think of going to find him but then I sit back down. I can't just go and tell him that I've changed my mind now. I just stare at the ceiling a few minutes feeling defeated. When suddenly the door opens; I secretly hope that it's Vincent so that I can tell him why I said what I said but then I hope it isn't because then he will see that I am a complete mess. When the door fully opens I see that it is my brother Sage. I quickly wipe my eyes and say "Hey Sage. What are you doing here?" My brothers rarely visit the library which is what I enjoy most about it. I get to have one place that is all mine. I am curious that he decides to stop by.

"I grew bored. I knew you would be here so I came by. But I wasn't expecting your eyes to be that red." I knew I could wipe away the tears but I forgot about my eyes. "Do you want to talk about it Page," he says staring at me curiously. I realize that I have never cried in front of one of my brothers. At least only Sage has gotten to see me like this.

"I….no I don't want to talk about it," I say sniffling. I would love to talk to someone but Sage and I aren't as close as I am to Ash. I don't know if I should trust him with this or not.

"That's fine. Well I shall browse while I am here." He says looking closely at a shelf of books. I walk over to another and randomly pick out a book. When I turn to look at the cover I see it is the same book of poetry that Vincent had been reading when he told me he loved me. Seeing it now only adds to my guilt. I open the book and begin to read. I was pretty far in the book when Sage says, "_And my heart really drops when I hear your voice. My heart made the perfect choice. I now and forever will always devotedly love you._" My head shoots up from the book I was so engrossed in at those words, the words that broke a heart. I turn around and see that Sage is holding the black book that Vincent gave me. "It's a beautiful poem Page. He must have worked so hard on it. Maybe not that hard considering he loves you very much and this entire book is filled with poetry about you. He seems pretty perfect since he seems to be a bit nerdy like you," Sage says with a smile. "Now I know he didn't turn you down because here he is telling you that he loves you. So that leaves me wondering why you are crying Princess." I blink a few times trying to process what he just said. I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the question and answers that are to come.

"It's a long story Sage and I don't think you would be that interested in it," I say hoping he won't make me tell him.

"But Page that is why I asked what was wrong. I am interested and I want to help," he says. I stare at him very confused by his words. There is no way he can be serious. I don't even know if I should trust him with this. I sigh. _He has already seen me at my most vulnerable point I guess I might as well give him an explanation_, I think. I take one last breath, wipe away a stray tear and begin to tell the tale of my love of a Winter Fey and why I turned him down. I tell Sage about the dance and how Vincent's eyes captured me. I even told him about the garden but I did not disclose its location. I told him about the kiss and Vincent's face as I lied to him. "But the question is if you are so in love with him then why would you tell him no Page. Personally I think you played with his emotions and led him on. Now I know that you are definitely related to Rowan." Sage says sounding very disappointed with me.

"Hey! I am nothing like Rowan. I just…couldn't when he told me," I say offended.

"That is what I don't understand I mean how you could just…." He stops suddenly and I just stare at him for a few minutes waiting for him to continue.

"What is it Sage," I ask when he is silent for much longer.

"I think, Page, that you just froze when he told you. I think you wanted to say it but you just….I think that you are one of those humans that have a hard time saying I love you. I mean even if you feel love for the other person it's just difficult for you. Would I be correct in my assumptions?" Sage says finally blurting it all out. I think for a moment and nod my head slowly.

"But why is it so hard Princess if you feel so strongly for him," Sage inquires.

"He's like a little terrorist. He just came into my life and destroyed everything that I thought my existence was going to be and all that change scared me. It's like when I first arrived everything about me changed when I walked in here and now he offering me something different and it's scary. But I love it also. I hate the way he makes me feel. Whenever we are together I feel different. It's like I've been high on some drug and I'm so happy and I can't wait to see him again. Then when I do get to see him I worry about how I look and what I am going to wear and a bunch of other things that I don't usually care about. You see what he does to me he makes me think about all kinds of things that don't matter and drives me completely crazy," I say a little out of breath by the time I'm finished.

Sage just smiles at me and says, "Princess that is what normal individuals like to call love. It makes us do, think and say all kinds of things we don't want to do, think, and say. But because you are an abnormal individual love made you tell the one you love that you didn't. I also think a bit of fear of the unknown crept in there as well. I don't think you wanted to discover what it would be like to love someone," Sage says.

I smile at him and say, "You don't hang around me that much and yet you seem to know me better than I know myself."

He smiles and says, "It would seem so. But I don't think that's it. I think I am just merely observant of you and your current behaviors."

I shake my head at him. "Oh that was such a good brother-sister moment. You could have just nodded and let the moment stay Sage," I say teasing.

"Oh I could have but what fun would that be," he says smiling. I walk over to him and do something I have never done with my brothers, not even Ash; I hug Sage and say, "Do not take this the wrong way but thanks Sage."

He hugs me back and says, "No problem Page. That's what brothers are for right."

I let go and we stand there for a moment before he says, "Well now it's time for solutions. I think you should tell him tomorrow if you can. But you have to explain everything you just explained to me Page. I know it's going to be hard for you but I think that is the only way to mend his broken heart."

I nod in understanding. "Do you think he will believe me?" I ask.

Sage ponders the question for a moment and says, "I don't know but you will have to make him believe. If I were in his position I wouldn't be nearly as friendly to you as I was before and I would be cautious of you messing with my emotions again. I mean you let him kiss you twice and then you end up telling him that you don't have feelings for him, I would have a hard time believing anything you tell me."

I stare at him and say, "Can I have a little encouragement please Sage?"

"Oh yeah your right I should tell you something to get you through. Well he should be able to sense your honesty all you have to do is be as vulnerable then as you were now and he should think you are telling him the truth," he says.

"What if he doesn't?" I ask.

Sage shrugs and says, "Let us cross that bridge when we get there Princess." I nod and feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"I shall be off now Page I have had my fill of entertainment for tonight. Let me know how everything turns out and I won't tell a soul about this. You can trust me on that." He says as he makes his way to the door. "Are you coming out too or are you going to stay in here a little longer. If you stay I highly recommend you read the book he gave you. Your lover is a fantastic writer I think you would like what is in there," he says.

"I'm staying and I was planning on reading it," I say walking over to the book and holding it tight in my hands.

"Very good then, I'll see you later Page."

"Later Sage." I hear the door close behind him and I sit down in my new favorite chair in the library and open up the book. Every last page is filled with a poem and they are all about one thing and one thing only. They are all about me and about his love of me. I spend the rest of the night reading. When I went to bed that night I thought endlessly about what I had come to think of as our poem. I read it more than all the others and had it memorized by the time I put my head down on my pillow. I went to sleep that night repeating the words_: I will now and forever always devotedly love you._

I wake up again just like the day we were first together with a decision to make. I lie down for a few minutes and think of what I should do. Sage was correct I should go to him but I worry that today may be too soon. But if I wait any longer I might let the right moment pass me by. I give a sigh and roll out of bed. I take a long shower to contemplate what I am about to do one last time. I get out and go to my closet because I think the time has come for Page Daniels to be brave. I put on my favorite silver dress with dark grey branches weaving themselves throughout the bust of the dress and then disappear in the silk of the skirt only to reappear at the very edges. I even go as far as to put on make-up. I go really simple with it though because I don't want him to notice that I'm trying harder. I put on eye liner, lip-gloss and a light silver eye shadow. I go to the mirror and do a spin. After I am pleased with myself I walk out the door and think of where I can find him. I know it's unlikely that he won't be there but I check the library first. When I discover that he has obviously not visited the library I quickly pick up the black book he gave me. I then walk out of the castle into the bitter cold of the Winter Court. I remember that path Vincent and I took on our first date and I am met once more with a dead end. I don't know the words and that frustrates me. I bang my fist on the rock that blocks my way and I see it wave slightly as it tells me that there is magic surrounding it. I stand back and try to use Glamour to force it open. I do just as Ash told me to do; I take a deep breath and inhale the magic around me. I let it build up inside of me and then I force it back out. I blow on the rock blocking my way sending a flurry of ice towards it. But when I open my eyes to see my work I had just frosted over the boulder only hiding it more and not taking the magic away. I stop my foot hard into the snow and then just turn my back on it. I wanted to find him but I don't know where else he would be. I make my way back to the castle but as I walk through the forest I feel as if I have given up too fast. I think of all of this when I suddenly bump into something I look up and see its Vincent. I smile and say "Sorry about that I guess I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Apparently not Princess," he says lacking the same sweetness in his voice that I always find so comforting about him.

"Um…I was actually trying to find you. There was something I wanted to talk to you about," I say nervously.

He stares at me for a moment and then says "Sure Princess I see you tried to get inside," he nods toward the "door" to his world. "You used the wrong technique frosting over that wouldn't even put a dent in the spell I have over that thing." I nod and follow him on the path back to the doorway. "So I see you kept my book." He says dryly.

"Yeah I did. I think that first poem is my favorite. I love the others of course too," I say not looking him in the eye.

"I'm glad you enjoyed them. I made every last one special for you," he says looking ahead with no warmth in his eyes. We reach the doorway he offers me his hand and I take it as we walk through the door. I am always amazed by the beauty of the garden but it doesn't affect me the same way it did before. I guess Vincent did make me happy maybe not in the way he intended but being with him has been amazing.

"So what did you want to talk to me about Princess," Vincent says while folding his arms over his chest. I have reached the moment of truth so I take a deep breath and I ready myself to tell him everything I told Sage. "I wanted to talk to you about last night. I have some things to explain about what I told you," I say. I see him raise one eyebrow in confusion and then nod for me to continue. "Will you walk with me?" I ask.

"Sure." He says leading the way.

"So about last night, I was just…I lied to you about how I felt. You told me everything in the most beautiful way and I wanted so badly to tell you the truth but then I got scared and I lied and I shouldn't have because I knew it would hurt you. I shouldn't have hurt you because the truth is that I really care about you and…."

"Stop," he says interrupting me and he stops walking. I stop as well and just stare at him for a moment.

"What?" I say confused.

"Just stop Page. Listen you can't just come up to me and tell me that you have changed your mind. I poured my heart out to you last night and you just stomped on it and you expect me to believe you now. How do I know that you are not lying to me again?" he says with much hurt in his eyes.

"I could promise you that I'm not." I say desperation sinking into my voice. I need him to believe me.

His eyes widen and he says "No you can't, you know how serious those are in this world it would bind you to that promise forever."

I smile and say "It's my mouth of course I can. Vincent I promise I…" I can't continue because he puts his hand over my mouth.

He looks deep into my eyes and says with worry "You have no idea what you're doing Princess. Promises here aren't like promises in your world. In the NeverNever you have to keep them or else. I don't want you to be bound like that."

I take his hand away and say confidently "It's not your choice to make because if that's what it takes for you to believe me then I will promise you anything." I need him to hear the truth and I'm willing to do whatever for him.

"Princess you can't do that."

"I can and I will," I say defiantly. "Vincent I promise I will never lie to you." I say. I have never promised anything in the NeverNever before. It didn't feel any different than making a promise in the real world but because you know it hold more here you feel something sink inside you. "Why would you do that?" he asks concern in his eyes.

"I need you to believe me and now you know you can trust what I say."

"I would have trusted you without it."

I shake my head and say, "Now look who's the liar. If I hadn't done it you would have just walked away."

"Remember Princess I'm full Fey I can't lie."

"Whatever. What's done is done. Now, ask me something." I say prepared for anything.

He just stares at me for a moment and then gives a sigh and says "Princess do you love me?"

I take a deep breath and truthfully say "Yes, I love you Vincent."

His eyes widen and he says "If I didn't know better I wouldn't believe you. But I want to so badly."

I laugh and say "You should because its true and I'm just like you now I can't lie and when it comes to how I feel about you I won't have to lie. Oh and Vincent you have to call me Page."

He smiles and says "Fine." Then just as before he pulls me close and before I know it his lips are on mine. I gladly accept it. I don't have to pull away like before and I don't want to. From now on I intend to keep him close. When we let go he smiles and whispers "I love you Page," in my ear. I laugh and say "I love you too Vincent"

"Walk with me?" he says taking my hand and leading me down the path again. As we walk I see a smile both on his lips and in his eyes. I smile too and I realize how much I missed his smile. "When did you know?" I ask. He smiles at me and says "I knew that night, when we danced. I think it really was at first sight. I saw you and I decided to talk to you and then I fell. I had seen you at the parties before. You were always so quiet. So I was curious and I'm glad I danced with you Page." He kisses me cheek and asks me, "When did you know?"

"I was curious about you as well that night. Gosh I thought you were perfect. When we were here the first time and we kissed you had me. You just scared me a little bit because I liked you so much. Then when you left I was so sad. So I came here and I had to tell you."

He holds my hand and says "I'm glad you did."

"I think you have completed your challenge." He looks at me a little confused and I say "Remember you said you would make me happy the first time we came here. Well you sir have succeeded. I mean look at me I'm not laughing or anything."

"I also remember you saying that we were best friends. I hope you have changed that by now" I laugh and say "Yeah it's all over my Facebook status. It says Page Daniels is now in a relationship."

"Wait your what?" he says confused.

"Oh I forgot you have never been in the real world. I'll explain all of that to you later."

"That's good because I want to know everything about you."

"And you as well." I say smiling brightly.

"What's your favorite color?" he says excitedly.

"I see you waste no time. I love blue. I used to love the beach. I liked the clear water. I'm also kind of fond of deeper blues. I like an electric blue the best though."

He smiles at me and says "I like a forest green. I know that seems kind of weird given the circumstances but I love the color. I always felt really at home in the forest. That's why I hid the garden here. I love this place of course. I'm sure you realize how happy it can make you."

"Yeah don't I know it. When did you first find the garden?"

"I found it when I was a kid. I was running away from my dad and I was really sad. I came here and I was happy again. The garden was like my drug. I never had a good relationship with my family so the garden was my place to escape. It's like your library. I hoped the garden would take me some days like it almost took you." He gets a faraway look in his eye. I can see him going back to that place long ago. I squeeze his hand a little to let him know that I'm here for him. He looks down at me and smiles then pulls me close and says "But that's all over now because I have you" He kisses my forehead and that makes me smile. We continue walking for a awhile just talking. Soon he stops and says "I just thought of something Page."

"What is it?" I say looking up at him.

"I didn't promise you anything."

"You don't have to Vincent. Like you said promises here are binding."

"But you were willing to bind yourself to me. I want to do the same but to you."

"Vincent you can't possibly."

"I can and I will" he says mocking me.

I laugh and say, "Oh fine, just don't do anything stupid." He smiles and takes my hands so that I can face him. "Page I promise that I will always love you."

I smiled and hug him. "Okay so that wasn't stupid." He held me close and love how warm he is. I'm glad for Vincent because he is the one warm thing in the coldest place in the world.

Elysium is fast approaching. This year it is being held right here at home. I enjoy it more than the Summer Court simply because I hate traveling all the long way just to sit in a different chair. Unfortunately, because its tradition I can't skip it and I must wear a really huge dress and actually talk to a few people. None of this am I particularly excited about but I have Vincent so I shall hang out with him for the majority of the evening. He and I haven't made our relationship very public yet and I like it that way. The last thing I need is my mother finding out and getting involved though I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't already know. I have two maids helping me prepare for tonight. Today is probably the only day where what I look like actually matters. They start with my makeup. They gently put on the foundation to match my dark skin and silver looking eyes shadow to set off the dark eye liner. They lightly curl my hair and pull two braids around my head to make a crown. I turn around to face the mirror and I must say they did a great job. "Do you like it princess?" one maid says nervously. "Yes, you've done a great job." I say giving her a reassuring smile. She smiles and we both turn to see my second maid bring me a selection of dresses. One is a light blue with white lace sleeves. The bodice of the dress has beautiful snowflake lace print while the skirt is a shimmering simple silk. It reminds me of a still crystal lake. I spot that one first and it is the best of the choices. I point it out and she quickly put s the others away and help me into it. I look at myself and smile. They really did do a great job. I look like a princess. I bring myself back to reality before I get swept away. "That is all" I say dismissing them both. They nod and leave. I stare for a moment longer and even twirl around in the dress then laugh at how ridiculous I'm being. The door opens and it's my brother Ash. "Wow" he says.

"You like it?" I say

"Yeah you look great princess" He says with a grin. "I came here because I have just received some very…disturbing news" he says growing serious.

"What is it?" I ask a little worried about what it could be.

"I can't tell you she told me not to." He says leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Who told you not to?" I ask suspiciously.

"You know who." He says referring to the Queen.

"Why can't I know about it?" I question.

"Because it's supposed to be a surprise and I'm just saying that you should act happy about it even if you're not"

"But can't you give me a hint?"

"All I can say is that you should act like you're enjoying yourself tonight and when the news is revealed be happy and smile"

"Fine I will" I don't understand what my mother's little surprise is but I know it can't be good. "Well now that that is settled are you ready to go?" he says offering his arm.

"Yeah let's go bro." he laughs and we walk out together. The Winter Court is always at its most beautiful during this time of year. It turns into what it truly means to have a Winter Wonderland. We enter a beautiful ballroom covered in silver and blue decorations and of course snow and the most beautiful crystals. "Now I remember the one thing about Elysium that I actually like." I say. I leave Ash to enjoy the rest of the evening as I find my usual chair and take a seat. This particular even last longer than all the others so I bring a book to entertain myself with when I eventually grow bored. I take it out and begin to absorb myself into its world. I brought out of it by a shadow hanging over me. I look up to see the once and only Summer Prince. I saw him at the last Elysium and like most Fey he hasn't aged a day. He is still tall with light blonde hair and striking blue eyes. I think he is where people get the term Prince Charming. I decided that was what I was going to call him. His name however is Aaron. "Hello Princess." He says flashing a smile. "Hey" I say in the blandest way possible. First of all I really don't feel like taking part in the traditional dance that he and I are forced to do every Elysium and second of all I hate that he interrupted my book. Its thoughts like this that make me question Vincent's judgment in liking me. He obviously didn't realize that the reason I never participate in Fey activities is because I have a tendency to dislike other individuals. I smile when I think of Vincent. I shouldn't have because it only opened up the window for him to ask me to dance. I should really learn to control myself. I have no choice now so I take his hand and we dance. After we dance for a while he says "I have surprise for you." I raise one eyebrow finding the whole situation immediately very suspicious. "Oh do you now?" I say.

"Yep and I think you will love it." He says with a grin.

"Now why would a Summer Prince have a favorable surprise for a Winter Princess? The whole situation tells me that I won't like it." I say trying to stare the answer out of him. So Ash knows what it is and so does Aaron but the question is why don't I. I hate surprises.

"Well I must admit it's not all my surprise. Mostly it's Oberon and Mab's but you and I are involved in it." He says with a grin.

"If it's a surprise how come you know about it?" I ask as he turns me.

"Well it's a surprise for you. I'm not even supposed to be telling you that there is one." He says mischief flowing through his eyes.

"If you tell me I can bet you I will act surprised." I say.

He shakes his head no and laughs a little. "I can't but if I were to give a bit of advice I would smile when they tell you and even smile a little now because here it comes." The music stops and we all turn to see King Oberon with Queen Titania and Queen Mab standing together before everyone. I catch my mother's eyes and she smiles at me and I smile back. My mother and I don't have the best relationship. She is nothing like me. I don't even look like her. We both have long black hair but she is pale with a heart of ice and she radiates power. Even though the cold doesn't bother me I know that her very presence can chill a room. I on the other hand am tanner than she is and I don't think myself cold but I shut people out so I don't have to be. She and I have many differences. We never have been close. I hate that brought me here to the Winter Court and she hates that I ice her out. But what would she expect from a Winter Fey.

Everyone gathers around to hear what our rulers have to say. They all smile together and Mab speaks first. "Far too long our courts have been separated and have had such unneeded tension between us,"

"But that is coming to an end tonight," Oberon says finishing her sentence.

"Tonight is a night of celebration for every Fey in all of the NeverNever. Tonight we unite the courts and the feud will go on no longer," Queen Titania says. Throughout the crowd are mumbles and even a few shouts of outrage. "Silence!" King Oberon booms. Everyone calms themselves. I'm confused and I bit intrigued. I was so sure that Tir Na Nog would boil before such an event was to occur. "Now as a symbol of our new found peace our youngest have agreed to be wed to each other. Their union shall unite the Seelie and Unseelie Courts forever." says King Oberon smiling proudly. Suddenly everyone turns to look at Aaron and I and I remember Ash's advice. I smile and Aaron takes my hand and pulls me closer to him. We smile and pretend that we actually like each other. I try my best to look happy but my eyes keeps wandering over to Vincent standing alone in a corner as he looks the way that I feel. In his eyes I don't see the usual happiness that I love but I see despair and a profound sadness. I wish to run to him and yell _'I didn't agree to anything. I didn't even know about this until today. I didn't lie to you. Please believe me.' _But none of that is possible with everyone's eyes on me I have to do what I've always done and that is to freeze it all out.

**A/N: So that was shocking. I told you I would get Queen Man in here somehow. I even added in a few Summer characters since I made you wait so long. I really am sorry that this update took so long but I got school stuff and that takes up all of my energy. I'll try to be more frequent with my updates but I can't promise anything. Anyway, tell me what you think. Please continue to read and review. Thanks from Maria and Page. **


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